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A cautionary tale

Letters to the Editor

To the editor: Since the re-election of President Donald Trump, approximately nine months ago, manufacturing has been making a comeback. It seems that surrounding states and local representatives are working to get companies to come in these areas that have lost jobs, such as steel and coal and have been successful. We had this and it was taken away, and our representatives are uninterested in pursuing these jobs and getting them back. I wrote a letter to the editor dated Nov. 21, 2000, concerning the impact of the local mills and the tax base. I think it is worth reading again. ...

Guest column/Trying to cope with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Local Columns

I have had obsessive-compulsive disorder all my life. Even as a child, my devoted mother, Dorothy Irene Welker, would say to me, “Billy, you dwell on things too much.” I still do, but it wasn’t until my late 20s that I was finally diagnosed with OCD by Dr. Dorothy Jones, a clinical psychologist. In the United States, approximately 2.5 million people have been diagnosed with OCD. And those are only the reported cases. Millions of other Americans just try to cope with it. They are embarrassed to tell their friends about their condition. But keep in mind, OCD is an emotional ...

Guest column/Working to build a better future for West Virginia

Local Columns

Hello, West Virginia. If we haven’t met, I would like to introduce myself. I am Michael T. Benson — you can call me Mike — president of West Virginia University. I officially started July 15 and I am amazed at how three decades of work in higher education across the United States have brought me, step by step, to the place I belong — the beautiful state of West Virginia in a position to lead its flagship, land-grant institution into a new era. My wife, Debi, is especially looking forward to experiencing the four seasons the Mountain State offers after our time under ...

I really thought that it would be easier ...

Local Columns

So, I was putting together the Valley Life section of the paper this week, adding in sermon topics when they became available. On Wednesday, I received the sermon title for the Cadiz Presbyterian Church. It is entitled, “I Thought it Would Be Easier.” Well, I instantly fell in love with what they would be speaking about. For some reason, it just resonated with me. Now, I have absolutely no idea what the church will be discussing in its message to the congregation. That is, unless I go and listen to their preacher and hear his meaning behind why he chose this particular ...

Guest column/Why budget law is tailored to help Ohio families

Local Columns

“Where I land on policy always depends on how it affects people in Ohio.” That’s what I wrote earlier this year, and that’s why I supported the bill that extended the 2017 tax cuts and made urgent investments in our national defense and border security. This budget bill saved Americans from a $4 trillion tax hike, and that’s a significant win for the nation. So, what does the Big Beautiful Bill mean, in real world terms, for Ohio families, workers and taxpayers? Our work results in more take-home pay. Specifically, the tax cuts we cemented for workers and job creators ...

988 offering a lifeline to Ohio

Editorials

It’s not a subject most people want to dwell on, but Ohioans are fortunate some did a great deal of thinking about how best to help those who are struggling and in crisis — perhaps even having thoughts of suicide. When the 988 Lifeline was established, it was meant to give those experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis somewhere to turn — somewhere to get much-needed support. Since its establishment in July 2022, it has received 592,294 contacts, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal. People can reach out through calls, chats or texts, according to the Ohio ...